Café Quito: 'pub' thread for general discussions Showing 651-700 of 1,427

[Tracy]

I was raised on 60s music- my father loved folk and my mother the ‘harder’ rock songs and soul. My grandfather played bluegrass/old country guitar. One grandmother was an Elvis and Sinatra fan, one loved classical, and my great grandmother was a big fan of Johnny Cash, as well as classical. As a result of this mishmash, I love all music- from death metal to classical. Just don’t make me listen to one style for too long- love the shuffle option on iTunes.

[Neil]

I love a book about music, perhaps especially if it is about music that I am unfamiliar with (which, a bit like books, is most of it). My father was rather obsessed with jazz (his idea of a birthday present for me one year was to take me to see Oscar Peterson which I actually really enjoyed and remain to this day convinced that the man must have had more fingers than a normal person). I know next to nothing about classical music but it is probably the area I most like reading about. Maybe 70s stuff is up there (due to being a teenager through those years - very formative).

[Robert]

When I was a kid, we had music on practically 24/7 the mix ranging from Classical, Italian and Irish folk songs, Nana Mouskouri, Tom Jones and 50's, 60's pop. Saying that my parents have no idea who The Doors, Led Zepplin etc are (Beatles ok)

Then I discovered how to use the turntable and it was Disney and funny songs tailored for the young (like Eric Nagle and Raffie and Fred Penner) - I guess that Disney influenced stayed with me as I'm a big Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev fan.

When I was in my early teens in the 90's I used to buy the Now compilations and it dawned on me that the alternative tracks were always my favourite ones so preferred musical genre sorted.

I got into music journalism because I wrote an 8 page mega review of Radiohead's OK Computer back in 1999 and distributed it among the uni campus and it caught the eye of someone who was looking for encyclopedic reviews for a website (later that guy became my brother inlaw)

I am a huge fan of music books and bios and I do have an extensive music section in my personal library - mostly punk and alternative. Lately White Rabbit https://www.whiterabbitbooks.co.uk/ are releasing some droolworthy titles. I also have the complete collection of Bloomsbury's 33 1/3

[Declan]

Through one of my brothers, I discovered the music of Robert Wyatt when I was a teenager. He is still a figure of huge importance for me and led me to so much of the music I still love, for example, the so-called Canterbury scene (Henry Cow, Hatfield and The North, Soft Machine etc.) and jazz. I used to write a lot for various magazines about jazz and improvised music. The more avant-garde it was the better I liked it. It led to a real education beyond the music because of the politics around African-American lives, the horrible economics of the record industry, the ever-present difficulties for women in music etc. Theres a great book by Val Wilmer As serious as your life: John Coltrane and beyond if anyone is interested in that area of music, social history and politics

[Robert]

Declan wrote: "Through one of my brothers, I discovered the music of Robert Wyatt when I was a teenager. He is still a figure of huge importance for me and led me to so much of the music I still love, for example..."

I think Robert Wyatt is great - his albums are like packages crammed with surprises. I learnt about him through blur - Damon Albarn's father was The Soft Machine's light engineer. I bought the first two soft machine albums, read the liner notes saw Robert Wyatt (and Kevin Ayers), then on an Uncut CD there was Wytatt's version of The Monkees I'm a Believer etc etc

As for the rest of the Canterbury scene - Jonathan Coe's The Rotter's Club helped fill in some gaps.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

Yes, I am a big fan of Wyatt and the Canterbury scene more generally too, though I only discovered them in the late 80s so long after their heyday, though Wyatt has done good stuff since then. Less keen on the post-Wyatt Soft Machine who got duller the longer they went on...

[H Anthony]

Robert wrote: "When I was a kid, we had music on practically 24/7 the mix ranging from Classical, Italian and Irish folk songs, Nana Mouskouri, Tom Jones and 50's, 60's pop. Saying that my parents have no idea wh..."

I'm very excited to read this from White Rabbit: Monolithic Undertow - which seems tailor made for my interests.

[Declan]

I agree completely with what you say about Soft Machine, Hugh. After Three they quickly began to decline in interest. When I was a schoolboy, I wrote to Robert Wyatt and he wrote back on a leaflet about Polskie radio (back in the communist days). I still have the letter.

I had a very brief conversation once with Jonathon Coe after a reading, Robert, and spent most of the time talking about B. S. Johnson but we did touch on music too. The Rotter's Club is an outstanding record, in my opinion, as well as a very funny book.

[WndyJW]

The unnecessary reverence and what in the states is NPR-National Public Radio voice is not about the music. Anyway if you listen to a mix on Spotify there is no reverential presentation.

[Robert]

Confession: I’ve never listened to that Hatfield and the North Album.

[Declan]

Maybe now is the perfect time, Robert, if you fancy a bit of British whimsey.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

[Declan]

WndyJW wrote: "The unnecessary reverence and what in the states is NPR-National Public Radio voice is not about the music. Anyway if you listen to a mix on Spotify there is no reverential presentation."

Yes, it's the music that's important, Wendy, and I wouldn't let anybody put me off listening to all of the other composers I like. Bach and Schubert, in particular, are far too important to me to care how they're presented. Anyway, the station Paul mentioned is one I never listen to. I don't know if would be available in the US, but there's a Netherlands-based station that plays a lot of great music and I have no idea what they're saying when they're introducing the music! https://www.concertzender.nl/

[WndyJW]

I didn’t see all the follow up posts to Paul’s so mine sounds curt!

Is this the voice you mean, Paul? This is our NPR (national public radio) voice. I’m guessing it might be the voice you’re talking about,

https://youtu.be/mgc4SL0iGA8

I don’t know about classical music, I just know what like. I love strings.

[Lee]

Declan wrote: "there's a Netherlands-based station that plays a lot of great music and I have no idea what they're saying when they're introducing the music!"

I’ve started to listen to Radio Classique through my internet radio partly because I don’t much like my local NPR classical station and partly for this very reason myself, knowing just enough French to catch a few words. It does play a recorded and rather pompous sounding “Radio. Classique.” tag line every so often but it’s in French so fine, whatever!

[Declan]

I listen a lot to BBC Radio 3 too which has some excellent presenters and many great programmes.

[Marc]

Somewhat random question but did those of you who grew up in the UK learn this rhyme about Henry VIII?
“Most school children learn the following rhyme to help them remember the fate of each wife: “Divorced, Beheaded, Died: Divorced, Beheaded, Survived” - from www.historic-uk.com

(I was looking for a condensed summary of English royalty so I had a little better context for pre- and post-dynamics related to Mantel’s trilogy.)

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Personally not sure that I studied that period for history but it’s a very famous rhyme that I would think most people over an age in the U.K. would have picked up by osmosis at some point even if not taught at school.

[Tracy]

There’s a musical from a couple years ago called Six about Henry’s wives. It’s catchy, but I’m not sure how accurate it is. They used that rhyme in the opening number.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

I am familiar with the rhyme, but don't remember learning it at school. I think Henry was mentioned at primary school, but I never did that period in secondary school history.

[Paul]

My children know it although I'm not sure if from school or Six.

I am counting the days (14) until Six tickets go back on sale - one of my daughter's is a huge fan (and the co-writer, which she hadn't realised at the time, a fellow alumni of both hers and mine)

[Marc]

Fascinating. Sounds like all of you know it, but almost none of you picked it up through school (at least not formally). Given how far the monarchy goes back, I wasn't sure how much was actually covered in school, much less which parts had such memorable rhymes!

[Emmeline]

This was the Henry song my dad taught me. ;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GisCR...

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

That gimmick record unbelievably went to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 (let no one ever tell you the 60s was a great era for music)

The song it deposed was something called "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" by a band called The Rolling Stones … I wonder what ever happened to them or if anyone on here knows the song.

[Emmeline]

Gumble's Yard wrote: "The song it deposed was something called "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" by a band called The Rolling Stones … I wonder what ever happened to them or if anyone on here knows the song. "

Well, I know which song was more popular in our house!

[Marc]

Emily wrote: "This was the Henry song my dad taught me. ;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GisCR..."

Ha! Did Monty Python do a version of this, as well? It sounds quite familiar...

[WndyJW]

Marc, have your read Wolf Hall trilogy yet?

[Stephen]

My Dad was a Rolling Stones fan and one of my earliest memories is of me singing this song, ‘I can’t get no satisfaction’, aged 4, with a hairbrush for a ‘mic’.

A couple of years ago when I was visiting my Dad in the hospital after he’d had a stroke and the end was near, I was asking him if he had a favourite hymn. He hadn’t been that religious, but he mumbled something. I mistakenly thought he had said The Old rugged Cross. When I suggested that, he repeated the mumble with the same number of syllables. Again I couldn’t be certain but again asked if it was The Old Rugged Cross he liked. Summoning strength from who knows where he almost raised himself up, looked directly at me, and exclaimed, The Rolling Stones. I still smile thinking of that, my Dad, 88, rocking out till the end of his earthly days.

[Ang]

You Can't Always Get What You Want

[Marc]

Wendy, I still have The Mirror & the Light to read. But the trilogy is what prompted this brief research.

[WndyJW]

Stephen, I bet your dad would be happy to know that’s your memory of his last days.

[Debra]

Stephen wrote: "My Dad was a Rolling Stones fan and one of my earliest memories is of me singing this song, ‘I can’t get no satisfaction’, aged 4, with a hairbrush for a ‘mic’.

A couple of years ago when I was v..."

What a nice memory you have of your Dad.

[WndyJW]

Marc, I read the trilogy a year ago this month and count as one of my best reading months.

[Margaret]

Stephen wrote: "My Dad was a Rolling Stones fan and one of my earliest memories is of me singing this song, ‘I can’t get no satisfaction’, aged 4, with a hairbrush for a ‘mic’.

A couple of years ago when I was v..."

What a wonderful memory! It reminds me of when I used to volunteer at a hospice. One of our patients was playing Led Zeppelin very loudly in his room, and we were worried that it might be bothering the others. I went into the room next to his, to ask the elderly gentleman if the music were bothering him and he said "I don't know what that is, but I like it. Will you ask him to play more?"

[Alana]

Hello all. New here and hoping it’s acceptable to jump in. Certainly never one to say no to a pub chat.

[Ang]

Definitely, Alana. Welcome!

[Margaret]

Welcome, Alana!

[Alana]

Thanks all! And complete kismet - I'm listening to Wolf Hall right now. I'm not sure if I love the Tudors enough but there are moments I do enjoy it. I suppose I hoped I'd like it more. Also reading Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan, which is great (though I'm no expert on 80s punk so a lot of the music references are flying over my head).

[WndyJW]

Hi Alana, I too am not overly interested in the court of King Henry VIII so it took me 4 starts on Wolf Hall, but once I was hooked I ended up loving it. Don’t worry about remembering who everyone is, soon enough you’ll know. Although, I don’t know if I could have kept the people straight listening to it, because I had to check the list of characters often in the beginning.

[Sam]

"Second verse; same as the first!"
It has been almost ten days past since Emily's innocent post gave me one of the longest lasting and most fascinatinating earworms I have had in some time. Not only did I get the Henry earworm but since I knew by heart a variety of songs by the artist, I don't think I've gone three hours since before one or another hit starts ringing through my head.
"Dandy, Dandy! Where you gonna go now?"
"Listen people, to what I say..."
"Don't they know, it's the end of the world?"
"Woke up this mornin' feeling fine,"
"No milk today, my love has gone away.."
"Mrs. Brown, you've got a lovely daughter."

Oh my, thanks for this Emily, and I have to confess it gets much worse when I have a cocktail.

[WndyJW]

Oh, poor Sam, earworms can be so annoying. For some unknown reason I often found myself humming the theme song to Raiders of the Lost Arc when I’d get up from my desk to get something from the printer in the office and I still do when I leave my desk to get more coffee or something from the kitchen now that I’m working from home.

[Emmeline]

Sam wrote: ""Second verse; same as the first!"
It has been almost ten days past since Emily's innocent post gave me one of the longest lasting and most fascinatinating earworms I have had in some time. Not on..."

Oh, sorry! I'll trade you for my insane neighbour who has been blasting the same Smiths album every night for a month now. I used to enjoy The Smiths, now I just wish a double decker bus would plough through his front door.

[Robert]

To quote Morrissey: In my life, why do I smile
At people who I'd much rather kick in the eye?

[Stephen]

I suppose a double decker through the door would be preferable to 'Hang the DJ.' Heaven knows, Emily, you must be miserable now!

[Sam]

Emily wrote: "Sam wrote: ""Second verse; same as the first!"
It has been almost ten days past since Emily's innocent post gave me one of the longest lasting and most fascinatinating earworms I have had in some ..."

Thank you but I think I'll keep my present earworms and good luck to you with your neighbor, though I don't extend that wish in having a bus crash his door.

[Emmeline]

Sam wrote: "though I don't extend that wish in having a bus crash his door"

This is also the guy who , when my children play, calls the police to report "sounds of shouting and hitting" and then I get a whole domestic violence squad at my door and have to prove we don't beat each other, when he knows perfectly well we don't. So that may have something to do with my wishing bad things for him.

[Sam]

Emily, it sounds like you have some fine material for a book of your own. Perhaps, we'll be reading something from you in the future.

[WndyJW]

Maybe get your kids wound up and give them pots and wooden spoons when his music gets too loud, a battle of the bands!

[WndyJW]

Has anyone else seen the beta version of title page? I like it. It’s bigger, clearer, less crowded.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

If you mean the book page, I switched back immediately and gave negative feedback, but that won't change anything. I use it mostly for accessing reviews and checking edition details. The book details page is now harder to find and the initial view only shows 2 friend reviews. The content is what matters most to me not the design.

[Paul]

Where does one see it?